Without Abramoff, Lobby Firms Still Collect Millions From Indian Tribes

It’s been more than seven years since lobbyist Jack Abramoff pleaded guilty to conspiracy, fraud and tax evasion mostly involving lobbying for Native American Indian tribes. Now Abramoff is out of prison, and he and his former employer, Greenberg Traurig LLP, are out of the business of lobbying for tribes, but other lobbying firms are working on behalf of Indian tribes who are overall paying almost $1.75 million a month.

During the first quarter of 2013, lobbying firms collected $5.2 million from Indian tribes for lobbying the federal government. This is down slightly from the $5.7 million paid in the last quarter of 2012. In 2012 Indian tribes paid $23 million for lobbying.

This level of lobbying has stayed fairly consistent, but tribal payments for lobbying have become more diversified among lobbying firms and no one firm is collecting $2 million per quarter as did Abramoff’s Greenberg Traurig in the end of 2003.

The top lobbying firm for Indian tribes in the first quarter was Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. The firm collected $772,500 from six tribes. The largest client was the Gila River Indian Community which paid $590,000.

Ietan Consulting LLC was paid $544,500 in the quarter from 15 Indian tribes, including $90,000 from the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Holland & Knight LLP was paid $397,500 by 13 tribes, including $140,000 from the Jicarilla Apache Nation, $100,000 from the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, and $90,000 by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe Indians.

Denton US LLP was paid $360,000 by the Tohono O’Odham Nation.

Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP was paid $335,000 by 10 tribes, including $100,000 by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation.

PACE LLP was paid $210,000 by four tribes. Venable LLP was paid $150,000 by three tribes. Cornerstone Government Affairs LLC was paid $140,000 by three tribes, including $50,000 by the Cherokee Nation. Hobbs Strauss Dean & Walker LLP was paid $127,500 by 23 tribes. Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck LLP was paid $122,500 by three tribes. Kirkpatrick Townsend & Stockton was paid $119,500 by three tribes, including $90,000 by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians. Sixkiller Consulting LLC was paid $100,000 by four tribes.

Other lobbying firms included: Hogan & Lovells US LLP was paid $90,000 by two tribes; Barnes & Thornburg LLP was paid $80,000 by one tribe; Howell Consulting Corporation was paid $82,500 by two tribes. McDermott Will & Emery LLP was paid $60,000 by one tribe; Steptoe & Johnson LLP was paid $60,000 by one tribe; among other firms.

Indian tribe lobbying payments in the first quarter of 2013 are detailed in Political MoneyLine’s Lobby Money By Report, in the Miscellaneous Sector under Indian Tribes.

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Political MoneyLine is about following money in politics. It's a cash register for givers, receivers and those who want to watch the flow.

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